Forsaken
by MidnightShadow101
Summary: Tora's eyes started to fill with angry tears. "I don't believe what's happened to you." She croaked. "Where is that boy who begged me to stay? That innocent child, the one that screamed and cried and took my bloody hand and swore that he loved me? Because I can't see him anymore." She took him by the shoulders and shook him. "Where is he, Gaara? Give him back to me!"
1. Pleasure To Meet You

**A/N: Hey, guys! Thank you to everyone who decided to read this! If I get something wrong about Gaara's past, please feel free to tell me about it. I haven't finished the entire Naruto series.**

Tora and Gaara were young when they saw each other.

About six years old each, both smaller than the average child, but that didn't hinder them. They were already being trained in the ways of ninjusu, although that was to be expected. After all, the heir of the Hyuga main branch and the son of the Kazekage would need those skills like a person needed food.

Anyway, the first time they ever saw each other, was at a meeting between the Hyuga clan and Sunagakure. Gaara was at his father's side, wearing a beige cape and a small smile. Tora was at her father's side as well, but she was wearing a tunic of light blue silk that matched the ribbon in her hair.

Even though she was young, you could already tell that Tora was going to grow up to be beautiful. Her hair was obsidian black, and her trademark Hyuga eyes were wide and innocuous. Her cheeks were pale and smooth as unmarked vellum.

Gaara was also quite the eye-candy, although his father had never noticed. His dark auburn was spiky and swept into a mess by the desert wind, although it didn't look bad on him. His pale blue-green eyes were lined with black kohl, and his skin was pale, defying the harsh desert sunlight tan that most of the Sunagakure inhabitants had.

"Hyuga Kuma, what an honor it is to meet you at last." The Kazekage smiled, although it didn't reach his eyes. "And I see you have brought your daughter, as well."

"Yes, this is Tora." Kuma gave his daughter a small nudge forward.

Tora curtsied and smiled, like the charming little girl she was. "The honor is all ours, sir."

"So pretty for such a young age. And polite as well."

"And this is..." Kuma looked curiously at Gaara.

"Oh, my son, Gaara." The Kazekage gave a dismissive wave in his direction.

"Pleasure to meet you." Gaara said, smiling as well.

The two older men started to talk about certain politics and what not as they walked inside, so the children suddenly found themselves extremely bored. The attention span of a six year old child is very small.

Both gave each other a look like, We have to escape, even though they had just each other a few minutes ago.

"Hey." Tora whispered to Gaara. "You're Gaara, right?"

"Yeah. And you're Tora?"

Tora grinned. "The one and only. So," She crossed her arms and jerked her head in the direction of their fathers. "Do you want to help me escape, or do you want to listen to them talk all day?"

With the help of each other, they managed to slip away.

"That was easy." Tora laughed as they made it into the open air. She gave a small little dance and smirked cheekily. She jumped onto a stone wall and pat the space side beside her, motioning for Gaara to sit. She swung her legs. "Do you like living in Sunagakure?"

"It's okay, I guess. I want to visit Konoha, though. It's lonely here."

"Don't you have any friends?"

Gaara shrugged. "Not really." He looked down. "The other kids don't like to play with me."

"Why?"

"I don't know." He lied.

"Well, I can be your friend, if you want!" Tora grinned. She jumped off the wall. "C'mon, let's play! I'm tired of behaving like a princess today!"

They started to play a version of hide and seek, in which one person would be the seeker and the other would hide, but the only way the hider could win was to sneak up on the seeker without them noticing.

Tora hid first.

When Gaara had finished counting and had opened his eyes, his first thought was, _Now where would she hide?_

Then, _There's a knife at my throat!_

He froze, and heard Tora's giggling behind him.

"I win."

"That's unfair!" Gaara protested. But although he mentally went through the rules in his head, there was nothing that said the hider couldn't spring their attack as soon as the seeker finished counting.

"I beat you! I beat you!" Tora laughed. Her laugh was contagious, and eventually Gaara started laughing with her, and then they were both on the ground, laughing their heads off.

"I...don't...even...know...what's...funny..." Gaara gasped.

"I...know...right? Come on, let's go play something else!"

"You will do no such thing!"

Both of the kids turned and saw their fathers, frowning at them, arms crossed.

"Tora!" Kuma said sharply. "What are you doing?"

"Um, playing?" Tora said sheepishly. She looked at her feet and scuffed at the ground with her shoes.

"Gaara!" The Kazekage strode forward and grabbed his son's upper arm. "What did I tell you?"

"Oh, please!" Tora burst out. "It wasn't his fault, honest. I forced him to play with me."

"That is no excuse." The Kazekage's eyes narrowed. "He should know better."

"And you, Tora," Kuma frowned. He put his hands on her shoulders and sighed. "I expected better from you." He turned to the Kazekage. "I apologize."

"Oh no, the fault is all mine."

"Anyway, the day grows late. Shall we resume the meeting in the morning?"

"Indeed. You know where your sleeping quarters are?"

"Yes. I bid you goodnight." Kuma turned and started to steer his daughter away. "I want you to stay away from Gaara." He whispered to her.

Tora looked shocked. "Why?"

"He's dangerous, love. I don't want you getting hurt."

"How is he dangerous, father?" Kuma's daughter put on a face of horror, like, I didn't know that!

"He is the vessel of a deadly demon, Shukaku. Have you heard of him?"

"No."

"Shukaku is a demon bent on terror and destruction. He wants nothing more than to throw the world into a dimension of endless carnage and blood. Gaara's name means something along the lines of 'self-loving demon'. Did you know that?"

"No, I didn't. Did his father tell you about this?"

"Yes. He insists that, for your own safety, that you keep your distance."

"Yes, father." Tora found it easy to put on a repulsed face and lie. On the outside, she pretended to be disgusted with Gaara, but on the inside, all she felt was pity.

_Poor Gaara. That's why you don't have any friends._

**A/N: Please review!**


	2. Monster?

**A/N: Yay! An update! Okay, thank you to my reviewers and my followers! This is the product of your consideration!**

**Gaara's POV**

"Do it again!" The Kazekage roared.

I groaned loudly and picked myself off the ground, taking a fighting stance. The summoned shadow clone of my father struck again with renewed force.

The problem with this game was to attack without the help of my sand. I had to rely purely on taijutsu, which wasn't exactly my strong suit.

I was getting better though.

"Your footwork is poor!" Bellowed my father.

Eventually, I managed to kill the clone. I stood in the middle of the room, gasping and panting. The Kazekage was satisfied.

"You may leave."

I bowed gratefully and fled the room, wiping the sweat from my brow. With a sickened heart, I recalled the conversation I had heard earlier.

_"Yes. He insists that, for your own safety, that you keep your distance."_

_ "Yes, father."_

Did Tora think that I was a monster too, now?

I walked outside and inhaled great lungfuls of the dry night air.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp point digging into my back. I had had enough training to know what that was.

Without hesitation, I spun around and grabbed the arm of my attacker and flipped them onto their back.

Too late, I realized that it was Tora. She was knocked flat and stayed on the ground, breathing heavily.

"Tora!" I cried out. "I'm so sorry!" I knelt down to help her up, but she jabbed two of her fingers into my side and I cringed, backing away.

"Never show sympathy for your enemy, Gaara!" Yelled Tora. She sprang up, hands on her hips. "Stay alert; don't let them distract you!"

Then she laughed, the stern expression melting off her face and dissolving into one of happiness.

"Did I sound like your father?" She asked eagerly.

I found myself grinning too. "Yeah, you did."

"I could hear him squealing like a stuck pig all from the front of your house." She giggled, then stopped herself. "Sorry, did I offend you?"

"No, really, it's okay. I don't really like him either."

"Yeah, he pushes you a little, doesn't he? I mean, _'Move, idiot! Get off the ground! Your footwork is poor_!' Please, he doesn't sugarcoat his words, that's for sure."

"True. But don't you have to go through that too?"

"Not as much. I mean sure, they yell at me, but mostly it's, 'Straighten up! Brush your hair! Chew with your mouth closed!' They know my limits and won't push me too hard."

We started walking.

"So," I said quietly. "You know the truth now, do you?"

Tora stopped and looked at me with those big eyes of hers, and they seemed to see right through my nonchalant tone and into my soul.

"Yes." She said softly. "But it doesn't change anything."

"Really?" I blurted out. "Even though I lied to you? Even though I might be dangerous?"

"You're not dangerous!" She glared at me. "Gaara! Hold your head up a little. You're starting to believe them. I've only just met you, and I don't believe a word of what everyone else said."

"But your father..."

"To heck with what he said."

"But won't he get angry when he finds out?"

"Yeah, but he won't find out." Then she started to chant. "We thrive in the chaos of the enemy tide. Quiet shinobi don't need dens to hide. Our only concern is to watch and wait, until the enemy lowers the gate." And then she giggled. "C'mon, let's play again."

**Please review!**


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